Steal My Heart
by Emerald Twin Blade
Summary: REMAKE! Soul was kidnapped as a kid to be used in experimentation on separating the Weapon from his Human body. Upon escaping, he finds himself on the run, but what happens when they take another Scythe Weapon instead of himself? SoMa.
1. Experiment 50UL34T3R

disclaimer: **Emerald Twin Blade** does not own _Soul Eater,_ or any of the characters, settings, etc. etc. that show up in this fanfic that you've seen/read in the anime/manga.

Emeralds News & Nonsense:

It took me a while to get to, but I'm finally rewriting this. I realize that this might seem a bit quick, but that's the way it's supposed to be. Don't worry about it; it'll all get explained later on. Hop on board, yeah? Because _this_... is gonna be damn fun.

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**FRAGMENT NO.00**

Experiment 50UL-34T3R

_I'm Free_

* * *

_Ughh…_ The teenager groaned, stirring slightly from his slumber. The haze over his mind took its time to lift, but he began to gain his sense of touch after a few seconds, _It's… cold._

"_Hey there, Kiddo! Do you know about people who can turn into weapons?"_

He tried to raise his arms, but found that he could not; his legs did not seem to want to cooperate either. Ruby red eyes blinked open sleepily, but widened abruptly as he was thrown into full wakefulness.

"_Wow! That's amazing! How old are you? Twelve? And you can turn your arm into a blade?"_

He raised his head, looking from left to right, trying to quickly take in his surroundings and figure out where he had been taken to in his sleep.

"_What's your name? … Soul? Well, Soul, would you like to learn about your abilities?"_

The white-haired teen should have known where he was from the moment he felt chilly. Hues stained bloody from the constant torture he had been put through glanced at the cold metal restraints holding his wrists and ankles pinned to the stainless steel table, his bare back shivering against it.

"_Come, follow me. I'll teach you about what you can do."_

_Why did I listen to him? Why did I take… his __**hand**__…?_ He shut his eyes tightly, trying to ignore his current predicament and shut out the terrible memory of how he had allowed himself to be _taken_ by these horrible people.

The memories just kept coming.

**DEATH CITY NEWS**

_**Youngest Evans Child Missing**_

_Soul Evans, 12, was declared missing on Tuesday, November xxth._

_However, his parents later pronounced him a 'runaway,' as he tended to have temper tantrums. Neighbors of the infamous Evans family said that the boy was "loud" and "prone to fighting," so they were not surprised by news of his disappearance._

He threw his head back against the solid metal table he was forced to lie on, the back of his skull _**THUD**_DING against it loudly. He forced back the tears that threatened to fall at the thought of those newspaper articles from 6 years prior.

_When questioned, infamous violinist Wes Evans, Soul's older brother, said that his brother's disappearance was a "shock to the family," but that he was "sure Soul will come home soon."_

Eyelids tightened almost painfully as he shook his head continually, _Stop it! Stop __**thinking**__ about this!_ He threw his head back against the table several more times, almost as if trying to knock himself back out again.

**DEATH CITY NEWS**

_**Youngest Evans Child Still Not Found**_

_On Tuesday, November xx, Soul Evans, 12, disappeared from XXXXX Street and has still not been found. Infamous family of musicians, the Evans, have officially gotten tired of waiting for their son's return. After 3 months of searching, authorities have announced, on the Evans' behalf, that their youngest son is dead. Although no body has been found…_

_**Beep, BEEEEP!**_ "**Experiment Five-Zero-You-El dash Three-Four-Tee-Three-Are. It's no use trying to harm yourself; we'll just fix you back up again and start again later.**"

The 18-year-old shook, not from the cold but, in steady irritation at his current predicament. He raised his head and looked over to the tinted window that allowed the scientists to look at him, their experiment, as they tortured him. He scowled at them, sharp teeth only adding to his menacing, red-eyed glare.

"I _THOUGHT_ you guys said you were _DONE_ with testing this week!"

The intercom beeped back to life again as a reply echoed in the bare, white-tiled room, "**Doctor Medusa has completed her research and concocted something that may assist our cause. Guess you're just not lucky.**"

Soul Evans, dubbed _Experiment 50UL-34T3R_ for the past 6 years, tried to kick or punch the table, but his limbs were still restrained. All he ended up doing was banging his head again, but, by now, nothing like blunt force could harm him. He growled in rage, still trying to pull himself free of the metal straps, but the sound of something mechanical shifting made him freeze in place and scan the room for its source.

A large machine began to lower itself from the ceiling, a huge, circular magnet hanging from it. Ruby red eyes widened in panic as he struggled more furiously, "WHAT THE HELL ARE TRYING TO PULL!"

The familiar sound of the intercom coming to life did not greet him as the magnet was activated, electromagnetic waves attempting to pull every loose piece of metal into it. 50UL-34T3R's entire torso rose as high as it could from the table, his wrists and ankles still held down, as he shouted aloud in pain, "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!"

_They're __**literally**__ trying to pull me to shreds!_ He cried in his head through his loud expression of agony, feeling as though he was being ripped apart from the inside out, _HOW is this LEGAL?_

-+-+-+- EXPERIMENT **50UL-34T3R** -+-+-+-

Another tinted window stood up higher in the 25-foot tall experimental chamber, leading to one of several observational rooms for other scientists and doctors to watch the goings-on within. Three people stood by the glass, all with different looks on their faces at what was happening before them. The one woman, a blonde with an oddly-tied braid beneath her chin, watched with a sadistic, serpentine smile, small hands placed over the windowsill in anticipation. The blonde-haired man standing to her left had his back to the view, arms folded over his chest as he stared up at the ceiling uneasily. The other man, white-haired with glasses and odd stitches running all over his visible skin, as well as his lab coat and clothing, was watching uninterestedly with hands in his pockets.

The seemingly-teenaged blonde finally diverted his attention from above him and turned to the woman, blue eyes firm as he swung his left arm across him to point out the window, "Are you quite_ sane_, Medusa? This is _impossible_! Nearly six years of tests and studying has done nothing for him! We're no closer to a breakthrough than we were when we first started!"

Dr. Medusa grinned pleasantly at him, giggling sweetly, "Ah… but the experiment I'd been working on before is finally complete, Justin! I'm _sure_ that, if we give him a sample, it will bring him closer to separating."

"Don't you think he's had enough? God made him what he is, so who are we to undo that which He has done?" Justin Law preached, trying to reason with her through his Faith, "Although, 50UL-34T3R is a weapon first and a human second, everything that we do to him…" He turned back to the window, visibly wincing at the 18-year-old's cries, "It just seems to torture him."

Medusa scoffed, ignoring his words and pressing a button that allowed communication to the control room, "Administer the _Black Blood_."

Inside of the experimental chamber, a syringe, held by a movable lever, inched closer to the unknowing white-haired young adult. 50UL-34T3R, however, was much too distracted by the electromagnet trying to rip the Weapon out of his human body to notice it. The moment he felt the thick needle poke through his skin and into a vein, his red eyes, previously shut tightly, _snapped_ open as liquid Power flooded into him. He opened his mouth as wide as humanly possible, screaming at the top of his lungs.

Once the syringe was pulled away, he began to struggle against his bonds again, snarling in an animalistic manner, "AAH! HAAAAH! AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGH!"

"Look, it's working!" Dr. Medusa declared excitedly, pointing through the glass.

A long black-and-red blade slowly rose out of his bare chest, his screaming growing louder as blood, first of a gorgeous red, coated the half of the weapon that exited his body. A moment later, the blade began to rise, covered in a black substance that appeared to replace his precious life liquid.

"I've done it! I'm going to be famous! This'll be one for the papers, let me tell y—" Medusa was practically jumping up and down at the sight, bragging to the doubtful Justin Law beside her.

The white-haired man, previously silent, put a hand on her shoulder and motioned toward the experiment again, "Was… _that_ intended?"

"Huh?" She looked back, only to be shocked by what was happening.

The blade was completely out of the boy's upper torso, but it had stopped moving, even _with_ the magnet still on. His eyes, however, had rolled back into his head, the whites of them turning black as his cries became more like roars of anger and rage.

"What… what's happening to him?" She panicked visible, pressing the palms of her hands against the glass as she attempted to get as close as she could for a better look. Finding this useless, she immediately pressed the button to communicate with the control room again, "Turn off the electromagnet! I'm not kidding; TURN IT OFF!"

The machine was shut off, the disappearance of the waves holding him up in the air causing him to fall back down onto the cold metal table. This action, however, did nothing to stop his current condition from escalating.

He thrashed from side-to-side, eventually pulling his wrists so hard from his metallic bonds that both of his arms entirely turned into long black-and-red blades as well, effectively freely him. In the blink of an eye, he had slashed his legs free and ran to the side of the frighteningly white room. He sliced through the wall and tackled his way through it, ignoring the lingering debris as he ran down the corridor with abnormal speed.

A loud blaring noise began to sound all over the laboratory, alarming everyone inside of the large building that something had happened. Medusa hurried to the universal intercom link and spoke into the speaker, "**Red Alert, Red Alert! Experiment Five-Zero-You-El dash Three-Four-Tee-Three-Are has escaped the Magnetic Experimental Chamber on the second floor! He must be caught at all costs; we can't lose him!**"

The lights had been killed, leaving the hallways dark with nothing but the flashing red lights of the alarm to illuminate the area every three seconds. Several doctors and professors ran out of their offices and break rooms, attempting to block the white-haired boy's path. In his state of insanity, he was only vaguely aware of the presence of the others, the haunting image of his superior older brother hazing over his angry mind.

What had the older Evans thought when he had gone missing? Did he believe that he had run away? Did he believe that he was dead?

_Familial ruby red eyes stared at him indifferently, "Run away? How can I be surprised about this? You were always jealous of me, right? That was why you hated me, right? It's not my fault if you go and get yourself killed. It's not my fault if you don't come home."_

The loud ringing of the alarm suddenly felt far away to his ears. Although it had been years since he had heard, or even seen, his brother, his voice sounded so clear in his head… So real. His chest ached; he _wanted_ to go back home… but his family…

_They didn't care_, a voice in his head reminded him, his heartbeat increased as the illusion of his brother materialized before him in his mind's eye. He stopped, several yards away from those who sought to stop him from leaving. He did not see them; all he saw was his brother.

"Wes…" Soul hissed with difficulty, one of his blackened eyes squinting to get a better look in the dim lighting.

The apparition made no movement, but simply stared down at him superiorly, like he was nothing but a bratty little kid that needed to be ignored. His mouth began to shift, but no sound came out. There was no need for it, as Soul read Wes's lips and felt his heart stop.

"_Don't come home, Soul."_

He threw his head back and let out a great cry as he shot forth, slicing clear through the faded illusion, and then through the people, with blades stretched wide out to his sides. The groans and screams of the people who had trapped him and tortured him for the past six years filled the corridor, their blood staining the beige carpet flooring red.

Soul did not care anymore. He did not care about killing these people. He did not care about going home. All he wanted was to get out of that facility and be _free_.

He saw more people running at him, trying to stop him again, but decided to take a more direct way down to the first floor than an elevator or the stairs. He clawed at the floor beneath him until it gave out, allowing him to fall straight down in a crouch to the ground floor. A deep growl rumbled in his throat as he glanced around the personal room of one of the professors. He looked around, one arm changed back into a regular human one as he reached into a drawer and stole a random bundle of clothes. From there, he broke through the wall and made his way toward the entrance and exit lobby of the building.

_Freedom…!_ He was about to be free of those sadistic bastards who poked him with needles and filled him up with drugs with sickening side effects. Free of those who tried to tear his person apart in two.

A metal barrier began to fall over the glass doors of the exit, the lockdown sequence having apparently been brought into effect. Soul, however, had better ideas than being taken back to that cold white room with the metal table and machines.

He kicked himself hard off the ground, rushing toward the exit and ramming his back against the glass. It shattered, his body sliding on the concrete ground a few feet before he could completely regain his consciousness.

The young adult jumped up to his feet, clutching the bundle of clothing under his arm as he looked back at the mess of glass he had made. Although the doors were clearly broken, the metal barriers were firmly in place, locking all of those people _in_ while he was the only one _outside_.

It took him a few lengthy seconds before a long smile curled over his face. Whatever Medusa had given him, probably some kind of steroid or something, had given him the strength to escape; not to mention it had already worn off, so he felt completely fine now.

Looking down, he blinked at the huge blade that had cut through his chest, wincing as he pulled it back, painfully, into him. He panted a bit, both of his arms back to normal as he turned to run into the evening, not wanting to stick around in case that lockdown was recalled quickly.

_I'm… __**free**__…!_

-+-+-+- EXPERIMENT **50UL-34T3R** -+-+-+-

Many people were scurrying around the laboratory in a rush, the alarm having finally been turned off and the metal barriers meant to keep people in, rather than out, lifted. Dr. Medusa went to the nearest universal intercom station and screamed to everyone.

"You… are all _IDIOTS_! How could you allow him to get away! That was six years of research, People! SIX YEARS!"

Every person in the building winced at her evident anger.

"I want every available and physically-able person to go out and search for him! After all, how hard can it be to find a white-haired kid with a SCYTHE BLADE STICKING OUT OF HIS CHEST!"

She did not even give a signal; several people left to change their clothes and get straight to searching. Either her influence was intimidating, or six years of research was too much to simply let go of.


	2. The Wrong Scythe

disclaimer: _Emerald Twin Blade_ doesn't own Soul Eater, or any of the characters or settings that pop up in this fanfic that you recognize from the anime/manga.

Emerald's News & Nonsense:

LoL, this was quick, wasn't it? Well, my Internet was shut off for a week, because somebody in the alley behind my house accidentally cut the phone line... So, yeah, no Internet for a 5 business days. Without anything, including homework, to distract me, I just... started writing this fic. This chapter took me a bit longer to write, but, y'know, it's longer... and stuff.

I caught a cold the day I posted the previous chapter/prologue. Just Peachy, ain't it? Fighting it off as fast as I can, but, _damn_, does being sick help for writing sometimes. xD Wow, that's a little masochistic of me, isn't it? Meh, I'll stop now. Go ahead and check out what happens.

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**FRAGMENT NO.01**

The Wrong Scythe

_I'm Still Free

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_

_**Rrrr…**_ Thunder rumbled deeply in the black clouds of the late evening sky, the moon invisible to all eyes. Streetlights flickered feebly in the darkness like flashlights with dead batteries, the pouring rain coming down on the city as burning drops of acid.

The freezing temperature of the sky's water on his bare skin as he rushed down the sidewalk had felt so negatively nostalgic. It reminded him of every cold piece of metal he had come into contact with, be it machines, needles, tables, shackles… He wanted to get out of the rain as soon as possible, but he _had_ to get as far away from the laboratory as he could.

The white-haired teen could not tell how long he had been running; all he knew was that a normal person would have gone numb from being pelted by the merciless rain and the wind. Ruby red orbs squinted through the darkness, vaguely making out the glowing neon sign of what appeared to be a restaurant of some sort.

_Enough is enough; I need to rest._ He told himself, hurrying into the alleyway beside the restaurant to hide beneath the ohning where no one inside of the building could see him. Panting, he looked down to the bunched-up ball of clothing he had held close against his chest in hopes that they would stay dry. His prayers were only half-answered as they seemed to be a bit damp, _Tch… No choice, anyway._

He pulled the orange T-shirt over his head, pulling it down over the scar left across his chest from his previous ordeals. Next, he tossed his torn jeans into the dumpster to his left, noting how it had become bloodied with deep reds and blacks. Tugging on the pair of beige pants he had brought along, he held the black jacket he had taken over his head to shield him, even just a little bit, from the rain as he finally took his first step into the public place behind him.

_**Ding, ding, ding!**_ The bell on the ceiling rang as the glass door opened, the cool air from the air condition rushing across his exposed, dampened skin. He shivered, _This feels worse than the rain did…_

The teen pulled the jacket on over his form, shaking his white hair out and allowing droplets of water to fly in all surrounding directions. His right hand slipped up to thread through it, scratching at the back of his head as ruby hues scanned the interior.

The restaurant was nothing fancy; it actually looked like an old fast food joint, with its baby blue- and white-checkered tile and the ancient jukebox collecting dust in the far left corner. He let out a breath that he had not realized he had been holding, smiling weakly that the place was empty, except for four or five customers and the three actual employees behind the counter ahead of him.

He knew he would not be able to buy anything, but did it really hurt to look at all of the delicious food they had available? It had been so long since he had eaten regular human food; all he was fed at the institute were oddly dark red souls, which had given him the title '_Soul Eater_' in the first place.

Hands slid into his pockets as he eyed the menu over the counter, fingers brushing against something hard and crinkly. He blinked, looking down in surprise as he pulled whatever was in his hand out. He was further shocked to find that it was a folded-up 10 dollar bill. A wide grin broke out across his face, _Well, __**somebody**__ just lost ten bucks!_

Again, he looked up, trying to take a look up at the menu again, but his white bangs fell over his eyes. The boy shivered, swatting it out of the way, only to have it settle back over his vision again. His eye twitched in annoyance, but he decided that it was not nearly as important as choosing _real_ food for the first time in 6 years.

"May I take your order?" the man behind the counter asked, adjusting his light blue cap over his forehead.

Soul looked at him for a moment, then back up at the menu, and then back again, "I'll just… take a Number One." He shrugged mentally, coming to the conclusion that a burger and fries was probably the best place to start.

The brunette wiggled his moustache as he pressed some buttons on the cash register, "The combo? What kind of drink do you want?"

He figured that the man's first two words had been rhetorical and quickly went over the soft drink list on the side of the menu, "Coke's fine."

"That'll be five seventy-one."

After exchanging his ten for four ones and five coins, he was handed a Styrofoam cup of coke, told to go take a seat and that his food would be taken to him. The white-haired boy nodded, about to turn and do just that, but he noticed something on the side of the counter.

He pulled the straw of his drink up to his lips, taking a long sip as his free hand reached out to take the black half-circular object, _What the Hell… A headband?_ One red eye inspected it through a gap between his wet bangs, his feet beginning to move forward again as he attempted to multitask.

_**SMASH! THUD!**_ "Ah! Oww…!"

He stumbled backward a few steps, nearly dropping his soda. He threw his head to the side for a second, trying to toss his bangs out of his eye for even a moment, to see what he had run into.

A girl, probably about a year or so younger than himself, was sitting on the floor, tilting to one side. Thin sandy blonde hair was pulled up into two straight ponytails and her white-striped green tie was askew from the fall. His eyes traveled downward, observing every fold and wrinkle in her white long-sleeved shirt and yellow vest before realizing that her plaid miniskirt had shifted to the point of certain exposure.

Before the girl could notice, he turned his head away, hiding his softly bleeding nose from her with his hand, _Damn hormones… Of __**course**__ I would react to the first girl around my age that I meet after over half a freakin' __**DECADE**__!_

His eye twitched, but his ear picked up a faint sound coming from her direction. With his nose safe, he turned to look down at her, still having difficulty with his hair, "Huh? Did you say something?"

"Aagh! You're such a jerk; at least help me up!" she demanded, holding out a hand covered in a white glove to him.

He froze for a second; a _jerk_? She did not even know him! He rolled his eyes before taking her wrist and pulling her back up to stand. His strength, however, was just a little bit off the mark, as he accidentally yanked her into his chest. He winced visibly, the cut across his torso burning with the sharp pain of being touched abruptly.

"U-uhm…"

He looked down at her, blinking at the pale pink blush that had dusted her cheeks. Ruby eyes caught emerald green ones at that moment, captivated by her shiny gemlike eyes, _Huh… She's got nice eyes._

"H-hey! What're you staring at me for?" She piped up, turning an even brighter pink as she shoved herself out of his grasp and turned at a 90 degree angle away from him with arms folded over her chest, "Jeez, what was that about? You're acting like you've never seen a girl before."

He snorted at the words she had meant to be an inaudible mumble, chuckling at the truth, "You've got no idea." He looked around at the empty tables and chairs, trying to figure out where he would sit, "Sorry for running into you."

The white-haired teen was about to walk off, but the blonde stopped him, "Hey, wait! That headband…?"

He turned to look at her, then down at the hand he held his drink with. When he had gone to help her up, he must have switched the hair accessory to his other hand, as well. He blinked; why would she mention…?

"Oh, is it yours?" He took it back into his vacant hand and held it out for her to take, "It was on the counter."

At that moment, one tiny strand of white hair poked the outer membrane of his eyeball, making him shake his head uncomfortably and try to blow his bangs out of his face again, "Dammit!"

The girl laughed at his actions, shaking her head and causing her ponytails to sway, "It's alright; keep it. It looks like you need it more than I do!"

"… _Huh_?" He asked, looking at her in confusion behind the curtain of damp white hair.

"Here," She giggled, taking the headband from him and reaching up to slide it over his head. His longer bangs were swept back while his shorter ones spiked over his face in a manner that allowed him to see clearly, "Isn't this better?"

The red-eyed teen looked upward at his bangs and tilted his head from side to side, trying to see if it would hold. Nothing seemed to happen. He grinned toothily, "Yeah, it is! Thanks, … uhh…" His grin turned sheepish as he looked at her encouragingly.

"What? Oh!" The blonde held out her hand to him, "My name's Maka! Maka Albarn."

He took her hand with his, gently this time, "I'm Soul. Nice to meet you, Maka."

"Order up!" Someone from the kitchen behind the counter called loudly.

Soul jumped at the sudden shout, looking over before smiling at the girl, "I… guess I'll see you around, then, yeah?"

"Yeah, definitely!"

With that, the two went in opposite directions. Maka walked over to a booth by the only entrance/exit door where a tall man with long dark red hair was sitting. Soul watched her from afar, taking a seat at a booth on the opposite side of the restaurant and finding that it was perfect for observing her from there. He blushed lightly, slouching over a bit in embarrassment as he sipped his soda in order to distract himself, _What am I __**doing**__? She might think I'm a stalker or something… At least I'm not trying to invade her privacy, though, like those bastards at—_

He threw his train of thought away, trying to forget about those times. Happier times were here, and he even managed to make a new friend! What other things would he be able to do now that he was out of _that place_?

"Here's your food!" a cheery feminine voice said beside him.

Soul looked up quickly from his drink, startled that Maka had suddenly shown up in front of him again, "What?"

The blonde laughed good-naturedly as she put the light blue tray down on the white tabletop, plopping down onto the cushioned seat across from him. Her arms easily came up in front of her, elbows settling over the table as her hands framed her face. Her lips were pulled up into a pleasant smile, emerald green eyes watching him with interest.

"I decided to come sit with you for a while! Do you mind?"

Soul eyed the wrapping his burger was covered in, feeling his mouth begin to water. He did not even look back at her as he reached for the food and pulled it out of the crinkly white paper, "Nah, I don't mind."

Red eyes seemed to grow larger in awe at the meat and cheese between the two bread buns, saliva slipping out over the side of his mouth, "Haa…"

Maka watched his facial expression as he stared at the burger, her smile widening in amusement; had he not eaten fast food in a long time? He was definitely different than the other people she had met in that place. The blonde tilted her head to the side some, her bangs falling lightly over her eye, but not low enough to bother her. She had expected him to continue looking at the food for a moment longer, but the white-haired boy had quickly taken the burger and effectively _tore_ into it with shark-like teeth. She jumped a bit, bracing herself and backing up a few inches in surprise.

"Aah… I almost forgot how good cheeseburgers are." Soul said aloud after having finished eating it, sighing in satisfaction.

The girl burst out laughing, earning a raised eyebrow from the boy across the table. Her right hand settled over half of her face as she tried to stop herself from giggling, "I'm sorry! You just looked like you really enjoyed that; this place doesn't even have the best burgers in town."

Soul's cheeks reddened in embarrassment as he looked out the window into the night, sucking Coca-cola from his cup, "Shut up… It's been a while, alright?"

She chuckled, reaching over to pluck a fry from the remaining container on the tray and tossing it into her mouth, "Why's that? Have you been out of town?"

The teenaged boy grinned grimly, "Something like that."

"Hey, where're you staying? Maybe we could hang out sometime?"

Soul looked at her with a curious look, "Why're you being so friendly?"

"Huh?" Maka appeared taken aback by the question.

"Wait, I'm not trying to sound like a jerk or anything," He explained, looking over to his reflection in the glass to his left; what about him had drawn her? Sure, he looked very different… What, with his red eyes and sharp teeth, he was _bound_ to stick out in a crowd, "What I meant was… We just met a few minutes ago; you called me a jerk, and suddenly you're playing nice?" He shut his eyes, "You can't blame me for being a little suspicious…"

"… I get it."

He looked back over to her, his face still tilted toward the window.

The blonde was looking down at her hands gently, which were folded together over the tabletop, "The truth is… I don't exactly have many friends myself and… when I saw you, you just… I don't know; I just had a feeling."

Soul rolled his eyes, grinning as he slid a slick hand through his hair, "Was it love at first sight? Sorry, but I don't believe in those kinds of things."

"Tch, as if!" The girl barked, grinning back, "Let's just say that the kinds of feelings I get are the kind that are usually right, so I decided to be nice. Is this too vague of a reason, or would you like for me to come up with something else?"

Soul shook his head, "Alright, alright; I'll accept that answer. Next time, though," He picked up a fry and pointed it at her, "I'll expect something logical."

Maka leaned forward, quickly snatching the fried potato from his fingers and downing it in one gulp. The white-haired boy growled at her, eliciting another laugh from her as he pulled the box of French fries out of her reach.

"Maka! Makaaaa!"

The two teens turned to look to the other side of the restaurant, finding that the man she had been with earlier was calling her as he approached them slowly. Hands sat in the pockets of his black pants, a strange tie made to look like a cross hung over the front of his dark gray work shirt. Cloudy blue eyes looked firmly at Soul as though trying to look through him.

"Who're you?"

"Ah, Papa, this is Soul; he just came back to Death City today," she introduced, looking to the white-haired boy, "right?"

Soul just nodded, ruby hues not leaving those threatening blue ones. The redhead reached out his right hand, "Spirit Albarn. Don't you go messin' around with my little girl, Kid, or you'll have to answer to _me_."

The 18-year-old just grinned at the challenge in the man's eyes, taking his hand confidently and shaking it in the same manner as the other, "Nice to meet you."

"Jeez! You don't have to go and say something like that!" Maka pouted, smacking her father on the shoulder.

"Ow; hey, c'mon!" Spirit whined, taking the girl into his arms and hugging her close, "I'm your father; I have a right to intimidate any guy that comes into contact with you!"

The girl wiggled her way out of his grasp, sitting back down and sighing deeply at the redhead's childish antics. She looked to Soul apologetically for a moment, embarrassed, before asking her dad aloud, "Why'd you come over here?"

The man pointed out the window ahead of him, "The rain's stopped, so it's okay for us to go home now."

Maka looked out the glass and, sure enough, there did not appear to be any more water pouring from the sky. A disappointed expression came over her face as she looked downward at her hands, folded again on the table. A rough hand placed itself over them, making her raise her head.

Soul smiled at her, "I'll see you around; I'm not leaving the city any time soon."

Her frown twitched upward into a small smile back to him before she nodded, "Alright." With that, she stood up and bowed her head politely, "Excuse me for tonight, then, Soul. See you later!"

She hurried away toward the glass doors leading out of the fast food joint, her father having half-pulled his black jacket on as he handed her a smaller one with a long coattail. Maka put it on quickly, turning to wave at him good-naturedly before exiting with the man.

Without really noticing, Soul had half-heartedly waved back, sighing in disappointment at the sudden wave of loneliness that had settled over the restaurant with her departure. He leaned against the cushioned backing to his bench-like seat, bumping his head against it as red eyes stared at the ceiling.

"_Now_ what?" He asked himself.

"_You! You two! Have you seen a boy with white hair?_"

Soul froze as a faint voice from outside reached his ears. He turned his head to look out the window in alarm, only to be met with the sight of Dr. Medusa standing several feet away from Maka and Spirit at the mouth of the alleyway. A handful of other people in familiar black coats stood to either side of her as though waiting for a command.

He scrambled out of the booth and rushed behind a large trash can, pulling the back of his jacket up over his head to hide his obviously white hair.

"_White hair? You mean that ki—_" Spirit Albarn had began, only to be elbowed in the side by his daughter.

"_Sorry; no, we haven't._" She answered resolutely, smiling sweetly.

Soul stared out the window from behind the bin, noting the frightening narrowing of the scientist's gold eyes, _**Shit**__! What's she gonna pull?_

Without a word, the men that had accompanied the woman walked closer, separating and surrounding them. Medusa's arms folded over her chest and spiral ponytail, watching knowingly.

"_I don't believe you. Now, either tell me where he is, or we'll have to force his whereabouts out of you._"

Maka's green eyes glared stubbornly, "_I already told you; we haven't seen anybody like that. Call off your lackeys._"

The brutes moved closer, making Maka and her father press their backs against each other as they kept eyes on their would-be opponents.

"Papa, what do you say?"

"I say we don't have a choice in the matter," He replied, reaching his left hand back to take her right one. His entire body began to glow bright white until his form minimized into that of a simple black-and-gray scythe.

Maka took a hold of the Weapon by the rod, spinning it expertly and spinning around in a full circle to swing the blade at the people surrounding her. They all hopped back a few steps, surprised by the unexpected opposition.

Soul's eyes went wide in shock; Spirit was a Scythe Weapon, just like he was. Dread bubbled to life in his chest as he immediately turned his gaze to Medusa, finding the pleasant look on her face and the spark of interest in her reptilian eyes positively wicked.

"What do you know…? Another Scythe." She chuckled deviously, "Although Experiment 50UL-34T3R was key to our research, I'm sure this one will do just as well." The men looked to her expectantly, her reply enough of a signal, "Take him."

Three of the men began to glow, much like Spirit had previously, before changing their forms into those of different Weapons. The three who remained took hold of the similarly styled swords and charged for the teenaged girl.

"Three against one? That's not fair at all!" Maka whined, swinging the scythe at one person and ducking a thrust from one of the others. She swiftly slipped out of the way and hopped up to flip, kicking the first man over the back of his head with the heel of her boot. Pivoting, she elbowed the second in the face and then shoved him away by nailing him in the stomach with the flat end of her Weapon.

The third came up behind her and threw his arms around her waist, picking her up and squeezing tightly. The blonde cried out, dropping the scythe and using both of her hands to try and pull herself out of the man's grasp, "Let me go! _Aaghh_!"

After having _**CLANK**_ED to the floor loudly, Spirit changed back into his human form, glaring dangerously at the man holding onto his daughter. He got up from his kneeling position on the wet concrete ground and reached his right arm outward, easily transforming the limb into the blade of his inner Weapon.

"Let go of my little Maka!" He demanded, jumping into action and attempting to bring his scythe arm down on the man's head.

This unknown man in the black coat backed out of the way, narrowly avoiding being killed before raising the girl higher and further tightening his hold on her with one arm; he brought up the Sword Weapon he had acquired earlier to press against her neck. The teenager coughed uncomfortably, whimpering as the sharp edge of the blade drew blood.

"MAKA!" The redhead called urgently, about to try to free her again when he was suddenly grabbed by his one human arm and around the neck, "AAAARGH!"

He took heavy steps forward, dragging the two men he thought his daughter had knocked out previously along with him. Cloudy blue irises grew smaller as he growled hazardously at them, hunching over and making his left arm and back glow as his right arm had. A second later, the two men fell back, away from him, covered in blood. Two long, curved scythe blades had popped out of his back when his other arm changed, as well, successfully incapacitating the two who ambushed him.

Spirit panted, staring over at the man still holding Maka hostage. She appeared to be shaking uncontrollably, a long, thin stream of dark red blood sliding from her neck down the blade of the sword. His chest shook with anger, but, before he could make any movement, he was shot through the arms. He froze, falling limply to his knees before looking over his shoulder weakly.

The two people who had transformed into weapons for the ones he had mortally injured caught him off guard; from what he could tell through his quickly blurring vision, they were holding syringes. He panted shallowly, his body feeling heavier as the seconds went by.

"What did… you _do_ to me? … _Ugh_!" The redhead grunted as he fell onto the ground, limp and powerless as his blades vanished.

"Papa!" Maka called out, clearly in a panic despite her current predicament.

"Forget the girl; take him and return to the lab." The blonde scientist ordered, turning her back on the scene and walking off into the night.

The man holding onto Maka hurled her roughly to a side, allowing his colleague to change back into a human before approaching the fallen Weapon and throwing him over his shoulder. The girl hit the brick wall violently before falling to the concrete, shaking weakly as she tried to gather enough strength to get back up.

"Papa…" Her voice cracked as she watched them begin to take him away. Up on her hands and knees, she called as loud as she could, "Stop! You can't take him!"

The man carrying her father looked at her with a sadistic grin, motioning for the remaining Weapon to do something. The skinnier of the two turned his arm into the silvery blade of a long sword before charging straight for her.

Maka braced herself, one hand flying to her neck and shutting her eyes tightly as she waited for the pain.

_**Ding, ding, ding, ding!**_ The bell in the restaurant jingled furiously as the glass door flew open, a loud _**CLANG**_ filling the air from the collision of metallic blades in front of her. Maka squinted one eye open to see what had happened, only to gasp at who stood before her.

"Soul?"

The white-haired teen grinned cruelly, "_Somebody's_ got to steal the show!"

His scythe arm shoved the Sword Weapon away from him and the girl, his foot pushing off of the concrete to send him forward and slice into the man's stomach. A blood-curdling scream tore from his mouth before he fell limp and slid off of Soul's arm. The boy looked to the mouth of the alley, finding it empty except for those who had died in the fight.

"_Dammit_! They're gone…" He cursed under his breath, growling. Turning around to face the girl, he was fully prepared to apologize, but he was met with an expression mixed with confusion and fear, "… Maka?"

"Soul… Why…?" She began, clearly shaken up by what had just happened. One arm was wrapped around herself as she kept glancing to his side and away continually.

He raised an eyebrow, following her frightened gaze to his arm. His jacket, though black in color, had been stained with the blood of the man he had only just killed. He looked away from it, clenching his fist, "Those people just now… They were after me, because I was their pet project." He shook with rage at the memories, "For the past 6 years, I was kept in their laboratory, being poked and prodded like… some cadaver for science!"

He shut his eyes, turning his back on her, "But, tonight… I was able to get out of there. Of _course_ they would come looking for me! And, because of me, it looks like they took your dad. They took him in _my_ place because he's a Scythe Weapon, too."

"Soul…" Again, her voice cracked. Soul took it as his cue to leave.

"I'm sorry, Maka." He apologized simply, taking a step forward to begin his departure.

A tug on the back of his jacket, however, stopped him. He did not turn around, but he just stood there quietly, listening.

"… Will you stay with me?"

_That_ had been out of the blue. His head swung around to look over his shoulder at her, confusion all over his face. Her cheeks were shiny with tears, but her eyes were set firmly on his as her fingers tightened around the fabric of his jacket, "Without my dad, I don't have a Weapon anymore, so…"

_Oh, it's because I'm a Weapon_, He thought, just a little disappointed. Although, he figured that he should take it upon himself to make it up to her anyway, considering that it _was_ his fault for the loss of her father. He sighed, nodding as he turned to face her and put his hands over her shoulders.

"Alright; I'll stay with you."

Maka stepped closer, pressing her face into the front of his shirt. Her shoulders trembled while she gasped as silently as she could. Soul picked up his hands to press gently over her back, embracing her softly as the dark clouds in the sky began to sprinkle its rainwater down on them. Ruby red eyes looked up at the all-seeing sky above them, an unsatisfied look reflecting in them.

_I'm still free._


End file.
